The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus which forms an image by using a powdery developer.
In general, in an electrophotographic type image forming apparatus, an image is formed by using a powdery developer including toner. The developer is conveyed by a conveying portion, such as a screw type conveying portion, along a movement path formed within a casing. At this time, the developer that has not been used is conveyed from a developer supply portion to an image forming portion, and further the developer that has been used is conveyed from the image forming portion to a waste developer storage portion.
In addition, a part of the movement path for the developer may be a fall path. The fall path is a path in which the developer falls due to its own weight. The fall path includes one of or both an inclined slide path on an inclined surface and a vertical fall path formed along the vertical direction.
When the flowability of the developer decreases due to mechanical stress or mixing of impurities such as paper powder and the like, the developer easily adheres to a wall surface of the movement path. Adhesion of the developer easily occurs on a wall surface of the fall path. If the developer adheres to the wall surface of the movement path, the movement path becomes clogged, resulting in various kinds of inconvenience.
In the image forming apparatus, it is known that a spring-shaped conveying member disposed at a connection portion between two conveyance paths reciprocates while rotating, thereby preventing clogging with the developer.